Road form



J. N. HELTZEL Jan. 23, 1934.

ROAD FORM Filed Feb. 23, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l J. N. HELTZEL Jan. 23, 1934.

ROAD FORM Filed Feb. 23, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 23, 1934.

J. N. HEL'I 'ZEL ROAD FORM Filed Feb. 23, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 23, i V I i r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,944,511 I I Q ROAD FORM John N. Heltzel, Warren,-hio Application February 23, 1929. Serial No. 842,263

8 Claims. (Cl. 25-118) The present invention relates to road forms Fig. 15 is a perspective view illustrating a rail or rails used in the construction of concrete roads joint device for use with the form rails. and pavements, and aims to provide a form or Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a modified form rail capable of being used for the construction of latch.

" of slabs of difierent thicknesses, thereby combin- Fig. 17 is a perspective view illustrating another (l0 ing two forms or rails in one for purpose of rail joint device.

economy, aswell as providing a broad supporting Referring to Figs. 1-5, the form rail is bent from base in either position of the form or rail so sheet steel of suitable gage, and has the webs that same will be capable of supporting heavy 1 arranged at a right angle with one another and finishing machines. provided with the flanges 2 at their opposite 65 Another object of the invention is the provision edges, with secondary flanges or lips 3 extending of a form rail having webs of difierent Widths from the flanges 2. arranged at a right angle with one another, and The webs 1 are of'different widths in order that provided with flanges, in order that either web slabs of different thicknesses may be formed with may be used to define the side. of a road under the same raiL, Thus, as seen in Fig. 3, the wider 70 construction, while theother web serves as a web 1 seats on the ground or sub base for conbroad base to seat on theground or sub-base, and structing a slab of less thickness, whereas, as the flanges permitting the wheelslof finishing seen in Fig. 5, the narrower web seats on the machines to run on either web when it is in up sub-base while the wider web serves to define the right position. side of the slab of greater thickness. The rail, 76

Cir

5 is a section corresponding with Fig- 3 Thus, with the rail in either position the stake '7 s0 invention.

Another object is'the provision of a form rail in ts tW p may thus e conv niently of the character indicated having provisions for p y for building ete slabs of diiierreceiving stakes in either position of the rail, in out thicknesses, and in each position of the rail order that the rail may be secured in place on the he lowermost w serves as a broad a e o n- 5' ground or sub-bas a port the rail on the sub-base. j This is a desir- Another object is to provide a novel wedged able feature When using heavy finishing majoint connection to align and secure. the abutting chines, i Order to Prevent the p s fl 0f the ends of two rails together. rail into the sub-base. g g

With the foregoing and other objects in view, With either W in upright 'P m' fl n e 30' which will be apparent as the description pro- 3 vi oa a r ad on which the wheels of the finceeds, the inventionresides in the construction ishihg machine y fi 39 W b us have and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter'dee treads for the finishmg machine Wheels scribed and claimed, it being understood that Each rail has one Olimore braces 4 at Suitable changes can be made within the scope of what is longitudinal pointsthereofbrace is p essed claimed, without departing from the spirit of the from Sheet metal and has Its ends sultabltz sei ti cured to the tread flanges 2. As shown, the ends The invention is illustrated in the accompanyof the brace 4' overlap the flanges 3 behind same ing drawings, wherein-- and are welded, riveted, or otherwise secured Figure 1 is a'perspective view of afragmenthereto. 40' tary portion of one of the improved form rails The brace 4 has outwardly pressed pockets 5 showing the brace and stake. V V at right angles to one another and provided with i 2 is an elevation of the rail and the stake openings 6 through which astake 7 may 3 is a S i on the i 0 be inserted, and the webs l have stake openings i 4 is Sectmn on the 11119 of 8 registering with the corresponding openingsfi showingfthe rail in its other position to form a slab of a difierentv height.

,Figs. 6 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are perspective views of modifiedconstructions embodying the may be drivenvertically downward through the registering openings having their axes vertical. The rail thus has means for accommodating a he rail F1g..13 1s a perspective view 1llustrat1ng a t variation in the stake receiving portions with h? 4 W pocket-{.5 qorrespqnds to reference t Fig. 1 the brace d sclosed n my. appl cation Serial N0. .Fig ;14 i a erspe'ctiveview illustrating another fl '1r d 9 1928, t brace 4 55' modification. has its opposite edge portions pressed or bent 110 stake to'enterithe sub-base, in either position of inwardly or r'earwardly, as seen in Fig. 4, to provide the webs 9 which stiffen the brace.

The webs 9 have slots 10 through which a wedge 11 is slidable to clamp the stake and brace together with the stake passing through either pair of stake openings, the wedge 11 being located between the pockets 5. The wedge 11 has a pin or lug 12 at its smaller end to prevent the removal or loss of the wedge.

The brace 4 has transverse stifiening ribs 13 pressed therefrom at the ends of the brace;

Fig. 6 illustrates a tubular form rail which has the webs 1a of different width, and the flanges 2a and 3a, with an inclined bracing web 4a connecting the flanges 3a. 7

A plate 9a is riveted or otherwise secured on the web 4a, and said plate and web have the stake openings 6a to receive the stake 7a in either position of the rail. The plate 9a has an offset 10d through which the wedge 11a is slidable to clamp thestake and rail together, the openings 6a being atthe opposite edges of the offset 10a and wedge 11a, so that the wedge may clamp the stake in either. opening.

Fig. 7 illustrates a brace 4b secured to the treads of the rail and having stake pockets 51) in different transverse planes, while Fig. 8 illustrates separate braces each having a single stake pocket 50, with said braces in reversed positions.

Fig. 9 illustrates a form rail having the tread flanges 2d, without the secondary flanges or lips, and the brace 4d which is secured to the flanges 2d'has the curved portion 5d provided with the stake openings 6d, and a wedge lid is slidable across the inner surface of the portion 5d between the opening 611. As shown, the wedge has a longitudinal slot 14d receiving holding rivets 15d carried by the portion M.

Fig. 10 illustrates a variation in that the outstanding portion 5e is of angular form, and the wedge 116 is of similar form to slide within the angle of said portion between the stake openings 6e, and a single holding rivet 156 will be'suflicient to extend through the slot 14c for holding the wedge in place for longitudinal sliding movement to clamp the stake.

'Fig. 11 illustrates a tubular rail similar to that shown in Fig. 6, with an outwardly pressed pocket 5 either integral therewith or secured thereto, and provided with the stake openings 6 and the slots 10f receiving the clamping wedge 11]. The pocket 5f may either be pressed from the web 41 or may be a separate part welded or otherwise securedon said web.

rail is of hollow angular cross section. a The brace 42' has its ends riveted or otherwise secured to the portions 32' and has the stake openings 6i and the side Webs 92, the brace being bent or pressed outwardly. The webs 9i have slots 101' through which the wedge 111' is slidable.

Fig. 15 illustrates a rail joint device, including the angular joint plate 16 secured to the webs 1 of the rail and having a projecting portion or tongue 17 to overlap the webs of the companion r'ail, with the rails in ,alinement end to'end.

A pressed sheet metal latch 18 has portions 19 slidable between the flanges 2 and the ofiset edge portions 20 of the member 16. The outer ends of the portions 20 are rounded, as at 22, so that the latch 18 sliding from one rail into the other will result in the portions 19 moving with a wedging action between the flanges 2 and cam portions 20. This will provide a tight fit between the portions 19 of the latch and the rails. It will be understood that the member 16 of the companion or abutting rail is set back or recessed to receive the outstanding portion 17, and that the latch 18 when projected from one rail moves between the flanges 2 and portions 20 of the companion rail with the wedging action. This will align the rails and hold the abutting ends thereof together.

The latch 18 is concaved and has the upwardly or outwardly pressed edge portions or flanges 21, or, as seen in Fig. 16, the latch may be convexed, with the edge portions or flanges 21a bent inwardly or downwardly. The latch may be otherwise deformed to reinforce same.

The plate 16 is provided with a stiffening rib or corrugation 23 for purpose of reinforcing or stiffening said plate or membeiywhicjh is secured permanently to the rail by either riveting .01 welding, the latch or sliding member 18 being held by the rail for sliding movement.

In Fig. 17 there is shown a modified construc'- tion of joint device, wherein plates 201) are welded or riveted permanently to the webs l of the'rail. and the latch plate 18b seats slidably in the corners between the webs 1 and flanges 2 of the rail and has the end portions 1911 held slidably between the webs and the offset edge portions of the plates 20b. The plates 201) have the cam portions 22b so that when the latch plate 181) is driven from one railinto the end portion of a registering rail, the plate will be forced. with 11.5 a wedging action between the flanges 2 and nortions 22b of the latter rail, thereby alinirig'the rails and holding them'together in registration. If the-end of the rail into which the latch Plate is driven has been bent out of shape or distorted, the rail will be sprung back into proper shape by the wedging action of the latchplate in entering the rail, the end of the rail being either expanded or contracted into shape when the latch plate is forced between'the flanges 2 and the cam por- 1,25 tions 22b.

The structure shown in Fig. 17 is an improve ment over the rail latch or joint device shown in my application Serial No. 189,542, filed May 17, 1927. 139

The latch -plate'18b functions in either pos'ition of the rails, and as shown said plate has the outwardly bent flanges 211) at its side edges and the outstruck rib 24b betweensaid flanges, said flanges and ribs stiffening the plate and being located between the flanges 3 of the rail.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: v

1. In combinationa form rail having upright and base portions provided with flanges, abrac- 14o ing member connected to the rail and having flanges adapted to interfit with the flangesof'the upright and base portions, and a connecting member of substantially the same configuration as the form rail and having offset edge portions with cam faces adapted tohave a wedginfg action against the flanges of saidbracing member when entering the rail.

2. In combination, a form rail of substantially L-shape, abracingmember connected'to said-rail, 159

and a connecting member having cam faces thereon, said cam faces adapted to have a wedging action with said bracing member when the connecting member enters the rail, said connecting member having a tongue adapted to engage a companion rail.

3. The combination of a form rail having a portion and a flange extending at an angle therefrom, a slip joint member movable into the rail at one end thereof, and a member secured to said portion of the rail adjacent to said flange, said joint member having a portion to move snugly between the flange and second-named member and behind the same, the second-named member having a cam surface for the contact of the joint member for the wedging engagement of the joint member between said flange and secondnamed member. 1

4. The combination of a form rail having a portion and a flange extending at an angle therefrom, a slip joint member movable into the rail at one end thereof, and a member secured to said portion of the rail adjacent to said flange and having an ofiset portion, said joint member having a portion to move snugly between said flange and offset portion and behind said offset portion, said offset portion having a cam surface for the contact of the joint member for the wedging engagement of said joint member between said flange and offset portion.

5. The combination of a form rail having a base and a web each provided with a flange, a slip joint member movable into the rail between said flanges, and portions secured to said base and web adjacent to the respective flanges, said joint member having portions to move snugly between said portions and flanges.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the firstnamed portions have cam surfaces for the conv tact of the joint member for the wedging engagement of said joint member between the flrstnamed portions and flanges.

'1'. The combination of a form rail having a base and a web each provided with a flange, a slip joint member movable into the rail between said flanges, and ofiset portions secured to said 

